


The Rules of Fair Play

by STILL_not_ginger



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Banter, Bantering, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Light Angst, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, whouffaldi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-04-22 09:11:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14305464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STILL_not_ginger/pseuds/STILL_not_ginger
Summary: The Doctor and Clara are off to another adventure on planet Carnivalis . An alien world comprised of nothing but fair rides and activities. The usual banter ensues and something else?





	The Rules of Fair Play

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again everyone! This idea just came to me while I was pondering what sorts of adventures the Doctor would take Clara on. I haven't seen another prompt or fic similar to this theme. I hope you all enjoy my take on it!

 The TARDIS rocked in a circular motion and wheezed out it's familiar tune as the Doctor and Clara clung tightly to the edge of the console. Turning to look at one another with wild eyes full of mischief they each gripped a lever and pulled the brakes sending the room into sudden stillness. The Doctor huffed out a breath and carded a hand through his hair to straighten it from it's somewhat disheveled state after the bumpy ride. He'd have to remember to have a look at those inertial stabilizers again once they got back. Finicky things were always going out of alignment. Hence, why Clara was also brushing her bangs down with her fingers from where they stuck straight up in the air. She then took to straightening her dark green polka dot skirt out where the seam had shifted askew.

"We're here!" he said now barely containing his enthusiasm as his lips curled into a devilish grin.

"Oh God, please don't tell me there is going to be more running again this time. My hip is still not recovered from where I slipped and fell on my bum on that frozen planet yesterday, your fault by the way, and you've got that look again."

 "What look?" he asked seeming slightly offending at the notion as the smile dropped off his face and his brows drew into a scowl. He carefully avoided even acknowledging her accusation that her icy fall yesterday was in any way his doing. He was always warning her off those impractical shoes which she refused to be dissuaded from wearing. "I don't have a look. And, no I don't expect there to be much running this time, uh, probably." he muttered out the last bit and his gaze dropped suspiciously to the floor.

"Mhm." she said crossing her arms knowingly and sounding not the slightest bit assured by his words. "Where are we then?"

"Here!" He said again with a hit of impatience as he began digging in his pockets for something, biting his lip in concentration while he felt around. Always the trouble with Time Lord pockets. They're bigger on the inside.

"And where is 'here' exactly?" she gave in rolling her eyes. She could practically feel him assume his peacock stance as he prepared to impress her with his latest explanation.

 "Planet Carnivalis!" He said making a grand sweeping gesture with his right arm while his left continued it's search in the depths of his coat pocket. "Founded by a drifter colony ship of assorted performing artists. It's a bit like an Earth fair only one that now encompasses the entire planet, 2300 years after it was settled." Finally, he produced what he had been digging for with a triumphant look on his face. They looked like two black rubberized bracelets and were engraved in a silverish color with what looked like swirling cursive. "And you're going to need one of these." He lobbed one of the smallish circles to her which she not-so-gracefully caught and began to examine. "Won them off of a Sycorax in a Poker game last week. Four of a kind to his full house." he said with a devilish grin. "Think of it like an Express Pass of sorts. All day unlimited access valid for the entire planet. Simply scan to gain admission to almost anything." He slipped his nimbly over his hand and twisted it around his wrist as the silver engravings shimmered and the bracelet adjusted it's size to accommodate it's wearer.

She followed his lead and the band shrunk down to the appropriate size. "Shall we?" She asked with a glint in her eye and held out the crook of her arm for him to take.

 The Doctor glanced briefly at her offer with an uncomfortable expression and breezed past her to the door, feigning obliviousness to the gesture. Clara on the other hand was not taking no for an answer and promptly marched over to crash into his side, seizing his arm in both of hers and grinning up at him innocently.

 Unbeknownst to her (well...okay...only slightly 'beknownst') her large eyes, full of humour and quite intent on his face, rendered the Doctor incapable of protesting to his current predicament as she affectionately leaned her cheek to rest on his shoulder not dropping her gaze. He merely stood there like a statue leaning slightly away from her with his eyebrows rather animatedly betraying his current level of anxiety. Left speechless by this development the words of disagreement piled up on his tongue but none of them made it out of his mouth and so she let out a smug hum of victory as he silently accepted defeat and tugged at the lapels of his jacket with his free arm to straighten himself out. 

 It was becoming a habit for Clara to test her boundaries and see how far she could niggle her way past the Doctor's comfort zone and into his personal space. Clara viewed this as progress. The Doctor thought it was probably bad for his hearts, at his age. But neither of them talked about it in so many words. They spoke in the smallest of gestures. Pursed lips, an arched brow, or a pointed clearing of their throats. But, to them these were enough and, thus, they made their exit onto a new world, ready for another adventure.

=============================================================================================================================================================

 As soon as they stepped through the TARDIS doors they were met with a cacophony. Her senses were assailed by strange noises and shop stalls generously lined with goods. She saw something that resembled a lumpy apple on a stick dripping with what she gamely hoped was red-dyed candy coating. Batter sizzled and fizzed in large pools of oil and powdered sugar rained down on top of a freshly drained funnel cakes. There were chips, she noted with enthusiasm. Darts stuck with thuds into cork boards, balloons popped and inflated, lights blinked, bells rang, and alien music played loudly from the rides all around them.

 The Doctor observed Clara as her eyes filled with wonder at what she was taking in all around them. For a second her smile faltered and he worried that he had chosen the wrong place. He should have taken her somewhere quieter. Someplace less busy that was not such an assault to the senses. But a mere fraction of a second later her smile returned even brighter than before. She gazed all around her drinking in the lights, the sounds, the smells and turned to find him staring at her which made her quirk an eyebrow. The Doctor flushed and dropped his line of sight to the ground which he suddenly found very interesting. "So, uh, where would you like to go first?" he asked in the hopes of distracting her from his ever-reddening cheeks.

 She was silent for a torturous moment and then decided to have mercy on the poor old man. "I dunno. This is my first time here but that ride there seems like the take." she said pointing to something that looked like a pivoting double-ended pendulum with two smallish pods on either extremity. Neon lights flashed along the length of the ride invitingly and the queue winded back and forth through short metal fences. Then the pendulum started to swing and she noticed that the pods themselves were also hinged allowing them to rock freely as the ride built up speed like a seesaw, tipping the one pod up ever higher as the other lunged down.

 Clara was aglow with excitement. Taking the Doctor's hand into hers she half-dragged him into the queue for the ride . The Doctor despised queuing up as it always felt as though it lasted for hours. Waiting seemed insufferable and slightly unjust to a Time Lord. As if reading his mind she called for his attention, "Look, Doctor!". Bending slightly to follow the line of where she was pointing he tipped his head back just in time to see the pendulum swing and watch one of the pods round the highest peak to begin its descent on the other side only to hoist the opposing pod high into the air. The Doctor decided maybe it was worth the wait after all and rummaging through his pocket located one of several items he was always sure to keep a stock of. "Jelly baby?" he offered from a smallish bag.

 "It's a wonder you have any teeth left after 2000 years of your eating habits." She scolded playfully and accepted his offer. Sensing his nervous energy at standing in place for so long she made an effort to distract him. "So how exactly did you end up in a poker game with the Sycorax again?"

 "Oh, it's a long story, really. They're sort of very much into slavery and the like. It was either that or a sword fight to the death and the last time I did that I lost a hand and a perfectly good satsuma. It grew back, of course. The hand, not the satsuma..." The Doctor continued on with tales of blood control and how obvious the tell that the Sycorax had was. He should have worn sonic glasses to help him with his poker face, he mused. Before they knew it the queue had steadily moved along and they were next up for the ride.

 A Judoon dressed in an official looking jumpsuit held a small black device in his hand and motioned for them to extend their wristbands to him. A bright green light engulfed their wrists and causes the bands to shimmer until the device beeped in approval. The attendant then un-linked the chain blocking their entrance and said, "Ho blo no do so sho blo no do sho fo flo flo to sho kro no so kro do flo sho to ho flo sho po plo do bla." He then gestured that they should continue through the path to the pod where another attendant stood and asked for them to be seated in the pod. The Doctor's face turned severe and his eyebrows shot up high. "In there? You want us to both fit in there? I hardly think that.." Clara clapped a hand over his mouth and smiled sweetly to the attendant, "It's fine, thank you. Isn't it Doctor?" she asked through gritted teeth and daringly arched one eyebrow to punctuate her query. "Yes, boss" he surrendered and clambered into the tiny pod.

 Inside the pod was a dark purple cushioned bench lined in what looked like vinyl. The pod could only have been barely over a meter wide. Small glass windows were bolted into the metal frame on all sides. A smooth metal bar was in front of where he sat. His knees were bent upwards at a high angle due to how low the seat was. Clara climbed in next to him with relative ease. The size of the pod seemed to suit her comfortably, were it not for the fidgeting Time Lord to her left hunching forwards trying to fold his arms between his knees in an effort to narrow the space his shoulders were occupying. Clara slid her arm under his which was closest to her and yanked to stretch him back out into a normal seated posture. She nearly broke into laughter at the thunderous look on his face and had to bite her lip to suppress the urge. The female attendant smirked at bit at his obvious discomfort and with practiced precision she drew the bar down as it clicked into place resting on their laps. Finishing this, she swung the door closed and clasped the latch shut to attend to the riders in the other pod.

 "Are you nervous?" Clara asked him while an antsy smirk twitched on her lips. A knot of excitement laced with adrenaline tugged at her stomach as she anticipated the ride ahead. The Doctor scoffed at this saying, "Clara, honestly. I'm a 2000-year old Time Lord. I've faced armies with a sonic screwdriver and won. I hardly think I would meet my match in a fair ride."

 Clara could feel some of the tension melting away in his demeanor, replaced with his ego, and decided to push him a little further. "Alright well if you get too scared you can hold my hand." The Doctor snorted and then went silent as he heard the attendant shouting, "All clear!". With that the ride set into motion, rising up to the top of the tower where it lurched to a halt. The pod rocked slightly and then began moving forward pushing them into the seat-back. Then back they swung the other way tipping them forward into the metal bar that held them in their seats. Slowly it picked up momentum, lifting them higher, an invisible force pulling at them harder with each swing. With the next swing Clara glanced out the window to her right and from that height she could see more of the planet around her. All flashing neon lights and spinning, blinking rides for as far as the eye could see. Her stomach flipped over as she felt the ground rushing towards her again until they were hoisted high into the air by the weight of the pod on the other end. Clara dared a glance at the Doctor. He was the picture of serenity even as gangly as he appeared with his long limbs folded up like an accordion in the tiny pod they shared. Noticing her gaze one corner of his mouth twitched upwards with a smug air of 'I told you so".

 And, down they went again the speed of their fall making them feel weightless until the ground pulled at them magnetically as they began their ascent on the other side. The pod seemed to completely still suddenly, precariously perched at the peak of it's range. Clara took the Doctors hand in hers and her heart pounded knowing what was coming next, a smile spread on her lips. Agonizingly slowly the pod tipped in small increments until it plunged down toward the ground and with that momentum it dragged itself back into the air, hoisting their pod even higher before whipping back over the peak, winding them around the pivoting pendulum like a twirling baton. Clara giggled and only half-stifled a scream in her throat as she squeezed the Doctor's hand tightly, nearly cutting off his circulation. Then the ride began to slow and the swinging gradually slowed until the ride came to a complete stop and began lowering back down to the platform below.

 The attendant came, opened the door and released the safety bar to allow them out. Clara hopped out and followed the neon signs leading her down the exit path. The Doctor fixed his coat and followed her, relishing being able to stretch out again. She spun to face him. "Where to next?" In a couple of long strides he had matched her pace and replied, "Anywhere you like. Are you hungry? I could do with something more substantial than jelly babies." She hummed thoughtfully and turned around to walk backwards so she could face him , "I saw chips nearer to where we landed and you could do with something even vaguely resembling a vegetable every once in a while." The decision, as far as she was concerned, was made and she spun back around in search of the booth they had passed earlier on.

=============================================================================================================================================================

 They walked on as they picked away at an enormously large portion of chips. They passed several booths of games. Towers of cups tumbled and fists were pumped victoriously in the air. When they neared a particularly difficult looking game involving flipping a half empty bottle through the air and landing it right-side-up an a narrow platform a stones throw away, the Doctor suspected it was rigged. The latest contestant was a young Vinvocci boy who hung his spiky green head in acute disappointment. Clara looked at the boy with a sad expression on her face and elbowed the Doctor in the ribs expectantly. He winked at her and, giving the appearance of casually crossing his arms, sneakily sonicked the platform, quickly finding the gravity displacement device underneath. Changing the setting he coughed loudly to cover over the sound as he blew the energy converter and sparks began to fly out of the device where it was concealed beneath the platform. The blue alien who attended the booth began to shout things which the TARDIS decided were better left untranslated. The father of the Vinvocci boy instantly accused the attendant of cheating and demanded his son's prize. Clara smiled up at the Doctor and they walked on.

 The Doctor, Clara found, was legitimately skilled at some of the games...and illegitimately cheating at others. Surely when you throw a dart that has not been modified it will pop only one balloon and not anything in a 3 balloon radius. Luckily the attendant had been confined to manning his post and this prevented them from being chased as they ran off and she chastised him for his behaviour.

 They tried out the fun house. The wavy mirror made the Doctors wild silver hair look even more unkempt than usual, which Clara found ridiculously amusing and she struggled to catch her breath from laughing so hard. However, after the 3rd comment about her height in the distorted reflection, enough was enough and she stomped off and slid down the down the metal pole to find the exit on the ground level below. Her pride could only take so much abuse. The Doctor for his part could not understand why being called "basically child-sized" was offensive when it was so clearly true and only passingly thought maybe it would be best to say no more about it as he followed after her. He easily matched her pace and she crossed her arms in a huff and sharply turned her head away from him. He judged himself to still not be forgiven despite his attempt at quantifying his earlier statement with, "Honestly, I didn't even mean it in a bad way. Some children are really quite tall for their age." She stopped in her tracks with her back to him and he watched as her hands slowly curled into fists of indignation. He sighed heavily and by the time she looked around he was nowhere to be seen. "Doctor?", she called out. The row of stalls she stood in-between was packed and noisy. The crowds were pressing in on her and she felt panic creeping up and tying a knot in her stomach.

 "Doctor? Where did you go? This isn't funny." her voice quavered slightly and sounded an octave higher than usual. She started pushing past humanoid looking figures that were bipedal but there was where the human resemblance ended. She stood on her tip toes trying to gain a modicum of a height advantage to see over the sea of bodies. Had the crowd always been so thick? It had seemed so easy to get from place to place with the Doctor. She squeezed past an amorous young couple holding hands and made her way to what she thought was the edge of the pathway. She made several attempts to stop people and ask them if they had seen a man dressed as a grumpy magician but either they didn't hear her or they simply couldn't be bothered to stop what they were doing to help her. After a good 10 minutes of surfing through the crowds and finding no Doctor she finally made her way to a booth and was about to ask the attendant if there was some sort of intercom system to page an announcement when she felt a hand grasp her shoulder firmly and heard a familiar Scottish brogue. Relief washed through her like a wave.

 "Clara, what have I told you about wandering off? You've no idea the kinds of people they allow to frequent planets like this." He pulled her shoulder to turn her to face him. Only then did he notice her red-rimmed eyes and furrowed brows drawn together in concern. "Oh." he said as realization hit him. "I just went to the booth right over there to get us some fairy floss. I thought maybe you needed something sweet to lighten your mood. You seemed grumpy." He barely had time to register what was happening as her hand connected with his cheek in haste and she yelled "Doctor _Idiot_!". The crowd around them seemed either not to notice or to studiously avoid reacting to the scene in the crowded thoroughfare. "Ouch! What was that for?" he questioned with an incredulous look on his face. "What do you think? Hm? 2000 years of time and space, yeah? Figure. It. Out. Because, I am _not_ going to explain myself to you right now."she seemed very clearly to be awaiting an answer and her foot was tapping impatiently in the dirt. The Doctor lifted a hand to soothe his stinging cheek looked everywhere but at her. Was she still mad about the short remarks? He hardly thought she would be so petty about such a thing. He had called her grumpy but it had seemed only right given her current disposition. No-one who wasn't cross gave anyone a smack in the face, did they? That would only leave...no, he thought. Surely she wouldn't think so little of him. Abandon her on an alien planet? Like he would ever be capable of doing such a thing to her! Let alone _this_ one where they give anybody admittance, regardless of their intentions.

"Clara..." he began, sounding very unsure of his next words. "Surely you didn't think that I..." he trailed off and he dared to glance down at her face. The hurt he felt was reflected in her expression.

 "Didn't think that you would what, Doctor? Finish that sentence." she demanded. A tremor of nerves shook through her and she felt suddenly so vulnerable. She was afraid of what his answer might be. Scared of how that sentence would end because after everything they had been through together, after all the monsters they had faced, after all of the near-death experiences she had survived, this was her worst fear. That he would tire of her. That he wouldn't want her to travel with him anymore or that she was becoming too much a burden to bring along.

 A look of resolve washed over the Doctors face as he held her gaze. "Come with me." he said and before she could resist he took her small hand in his. They weaved through the crowd with a relative sort of ease. His height gave him the advantage of actually seeing where he was going. The Ferris wheel. There they could talk in private and it would be quiet up high, away from the din of the crowd. She did her best to keep up and he held onto her hand like it was his lifeline, not wanting allow them to get separated again. He came to an abrupt stop at a gate and flashed the attendant his psychic paper, citing that this was a routine maintenance inspection. The attendant looked suspiciously at Clara and his gaze fell to their joined hands but, miraculously, he allowed them to go through, perhaps more out of pity than a belief in the authenticity of the ID card he had glimpsed. What kind of a title is "Planetary Maintenance Person", anyway? A bit too vague but it worked in a pinch.

 Clara followed the Doctor's insistent tugging and was pulled along in a blur until he released her hand and gestured for her to proceed into what looked like a large metal bucket painted a cheery shade of yellow with one small door swung open to offer entrance. A single smooth bench was molded into the left side. Clara sat on the bench, feeling it lurch slightly, and the Doctor slid in next to her and sonicked the door shut, winking at the ride operator. Slowly they began to drift upward and an awkward silence hung between them.

 The Doctor absentmindedly traced words in circular Gallifreyan on the knee of his plaid trousers. The noise of the crowd below grey distant and the lights on the horizon stretched out further the higher they got. He swallowed nervously, his throat suddenly felt dry as if all the moisture had moved from his mouth and into his palms, which he made an effort to wipe off inconspicuously on his coat sleeve. "Clara, I know you don't really trust me still after what happened with the Moon and all." he said looking off ahead into dark night sky. She opened her mouth to object but swallowed the words, knowing them to be half-true. "I don't know what to say to ease your mind. This body seems to be bad at saying things. Well, not that the last one was much better, really. Just had less of a filter back then, I suppose. Still didn't find the _right_ words, just found an awful lot _more_ of them." She granted him a small smile, she couldn't argue with the truth. He seemed to be dancing around something and she could tell. There was a reluctant tension in his voice and she could feel he was holding back from just saying something. The bucket in which they sat had reached the top and the Doctor took his sonic out and aimed it at the operation console below. They stilled to a halt and rocked gently in the light breeze. It would take them several minutes to undo the lock on the controls. They would have to find a manager with a key-card to override it and good luck doing that in this crowd, he thought to himself.

 Clara crossed her ankles and hugged her arms around herself. It was a bit cooler up high away from the hustle and bustle of the food stalls and the energy of the contestants playing the various games. The wind ceased suddenly as she felt something warm and soft slipping gently over her shoulders. The Doctor had removed his coat and slid it around her to block the chill. She tugged it tighter around her and thanked him. "I'm sorry I slapped you...again" she said guiltily. "Oh, you're not the first and probably won't be the last." he said with a small chuckle. His expression darkened a little and he finally dared a look in her direction. She looked slightly worried but the anger and the hurt from before had faded. He gathered his courage. "Clara...can I...try something?" She arched a brow at his vague inquiry but after a moment of thought she nodded her approval. "Um...it would help if you cl-closed your eyes." he stammered and wrung his fingers. He seemed embarrassed at the thought of whatever he was going to attempt. She let her eyes close and exhaled slowly to calm her nerves. She felt his cold fingertips alight on her temples and a chill ran down her spine. "Clara, just relax and let your mind go blank. I want to show you something." She heard the words but not with her ears. She could feel him in her mind. His consciousness brushing against hers gently.

There was a flash like a curtain being pulled open and letting in the daylight. And then such warmth flooding through her. Like slipping into a hot spa bath that rivaled any other. One that sank deep into your bones and seeped into even muscle tissue. She saw her own face, she was in the outfit that she had worn when he first regenerated. She felt an icy hand of uncertainty clutch her heart. And fear. Such fear that shook to the core. Fear that made weak men cry. "Am I a good man?" she heard him ask. She heard her own voice, "I'm sorry. I'm-I'm so, so sorry. But, I don't think I know who you are anymore." she felt as if she had been punched in the gut and all the air rushed out of her, she felt the stabbing pain in her chest, she felt fire behind her eyes and lump in her throat. She saw her face from moments later studying him intently before she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. She felt relief crashing down all around her and thought her heart would burst from her chest the way it seemed to swell. Triumphant feelings of joy like cymbals crashing in a soaring crescendo. There was a steady flow of deep, endless affection. Unspeakable devotion coursed through her being. Then the curtain fell back and everything went dark and quiet and she felt the Doctor drop his hands. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked at him in wonder. Her lips were parted but no words were coming out.

"Sorry, I'm not sure how much you could feel. I haven't done that in a long while so I'm a bit out of practice. Plus you're human so I have to be careful not to overwhe-"

"Doctor."

"Yes."

"Close your eyes. I want to try something." He reluctantly obliged and swallowed hard in anticipation. She was probably going to smack him again. He just knew it. He had gone too far. Revealed too much, probably, before he could break the psychic link, and made her angry again. He winced and turned his head a little to the side at the thought.

Once she felt sure his eyes were properly shut she reached out to him with a trembling hand and very carefully cupped his cheek, so as not to startle him.

His brows flinched in surprise,"Clara, I..."

"Shh." she brought her other hand up to rest delicately on the other side of his face and turned him back towards her, gently stroking her thumb across his cheekbone. She turned and scooted a bit closer to him on the bench until their knees touched and he gasped softly at the sudden invasion of his personal space. Slowly she leaned in closer to him, he looked as if he was holding his breath. His shoulders were still and held slightly aloft. She leaned in further and he could feel the warmth of her breath shuddering out onto his lips. Her hair fell forward from where it had been tucked behind her ears and tickled the perimeters of his face. He opened his mouth to say something, anything at all, to break the silence the threatened to swallow him. She took that as an opportunity and crushed her lips into his. Her fingers slipped back and wove into his hair as she tugged him closed. She flicked her tongue across the seam of his lips begging entrance. He immediately obliged, his right hand ghosting over her knee and sliding up to grasp her slender waist for purchase. His other hand traced ever so lightly across her cheek and wound around the nape of her neck to deepen the kiss. He darted his tongue into her mouth like a question and she answered it with heat and passion, tasting him, nibbling, lightly sucking, pleading with him to match her pace. They continued on this way for several minutes and, to both their embarrassment, did not notice when the ride has resumed motion. Neither did they notice the ride operator and his manager standing with arms crossed until one of them cleared their throat with an expectant, "Ahem!". They broke apart guiltily with mussed hair looking quite winded. "Ah, yes, I can explain." the Doctor attempted, recovering first and rifling through his breast pocket for the psychic paper again.

"There will be no need of that." the manager stated very officially. "I have my suspicions that your identification is actually legitimate but no matter. I'm afraid I must ask you to vacate the premises at once."

Clara rolled her eyes dramatically. "Not again." she thought. How many planets would this make now that they were banned from returning to? She looked over to the Doctor and caught a wicked glint in his eye before he subtly winked at her.

"Absolutely. Quite right. Come along, Clara. We'll just be on our way then shall we?" He took her hand and they began making their way back toward to TARDIS with a security escort in tow. 

Once inside he turned to face her and she asked, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"50 years should be long enough for the ban to be lifted."

"Surely they'll be over it by then."

They started at each other for a long moment before they both burst out into laughter and looked sheepishly down at the floor.

"God that was embarrassing!" she said smacking her forehead with the palm of her hand.

A tense silence hung between them. The Doctor was the first one to break it.

"Do you regret it?"

"No."

She worried her lower lip between her teeth, "Do you?"

"No."

He seemed to freeze as if her eyes had him quantum locked.

She stepped towards him slowly, until they were toe to toe. His gaze was relentless. She licked her lip to moisten it and his eyes tracked the motion. His hand came up to graze her forearm and lightly trail down to her hand. She twined her fingers through his. And her phone rang in her pocket and broke them from their trance.

She cursed under her breath. Her Nan was calling her about their lunch date, no doubt. She flipped it open and took the call as she wandered towards a corridor. Stopping at the entrance she turned back to the Doctor who had begun toggling switches and pulling levers on the console. He caught her looking and his lips quirked into a crooked smile. Turning on her heel she thought to herself, "I hope this won't be a long call."

Fin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for reading my fic! If you liked it then click that Kudos button to drop me a heart <3 or leave me a comment to let me know what you thought about it. xx


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